The extraction yields, active compounds and antioxidant properties of 50%-aqueous-ethanolic extracts of freeze-dried Echinacea purpurea flower with multi-steps and multi-batches extraction methods were assessed. In multi-steps extraction, the extraction yields of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd extracts were 21.52%, 9.33%, and 2.90%, and their total phenols contents were 182.08, 176.33, and 177.08 mg CAE/g, respectively, with cichoric acid (62.07 – 66.57 mg/g) being the main phenolic compound. No differences in the contents of individual and total caffeic acids derivates existed among 1st, 2nd, and 3rd extracts. The dodeca-2E, 4E, 8Z, 10(E/Z)-tetraenoic acid isobutylamide (alkamide 8/9) contents of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd extracts were 505.38, 598.61, and 585.99 µg/g, respectively. In multi-batches extraction, the extracted dry weight increased with increasing the sample batches, with the extraction yields and alkamide 8/9 contents of samples decreased from 19.93% to 12.98% and 534.36 to 269.76 µg/g, respectively. The total phenol (177.25 – 186.92 mg CAE/g), individual and total caffeic acid derivatives (85.99 – 95.06 mg/g) contents of extracts among different sample batches were not significantly different, with cichoric acid (63.66 – 70.31 mg/g) being the main phenolic compound. All the prepared extracts also exhibited potent antioxidant properties. Overall, the two-step sequential extraction is desirable for extracting bioactive compounds from freeze-dried E. purpurea flower.

Parthenium hysterophorus is a globally recognized invasive alien weed that prominently colonizes grazing areas and cultivated lands causing adverse effect on crop production. Major allelochemicals released from parthenium include sesqueterpene lactones and phenolic acids. Among these the presence of caffeic, vanillic and ferulic acids is of industrial significance as they possess potent free radical scavenging and anticancer activities. This study reports for the first time, high total phenolic acid content (20.82 ± 0.82 mg GAE/g dry sample) in parthenium. The GC-MS analysis indicated the presence of ferulic, p-coumaric, vanillic and gallic acid as major phenolic components. Free radical scavenging activity of the phenolic acids extract gave an EC50 value 130.4 μg/ml when measured using DPPH assay. Anticancer activity of parthenium phenolic extract against A-498 (IC50 0.5237 μg/ml) and MDA-MB231 (IC50 and 0.2685 μg/ml) cancerous cell lines indicated its potential to be used as anticancer agent.

Parr, A.J. and Bolwell, G.P. (2000) Phenols in the Plant and in Man. The Potential for Possible Nutritional Enhancement of the Diet by Modifying the Phenols Content or Profile. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 80, 985-1012.http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(20000515)80:7<985::AID-JSFA572>3.0.CO;2-7

The iron compounds in the oxidation state (VI) have the specific advantage of being powerful oxidants and bactericides. This feature explains their particular interest in the treatment of water. The aim of this work is to prepare Na2FeO4 stable at ambient in order to optimize the key parameters influencing the performance of the oxidation of iron (II) to iron (VI), as well as to monitor its degradation over time. The synthesis of this phase has been carried out by using the dry reaction Na2O2 with Fe2O3 with a temperature of 700°C for a reaction time of 13 hours with a Na/Fe ratio of 4 to make it possible to simplify the synthesis procedure, to minimize the cost and enhance the production of iron (VI) to meet the growing demand of ferrate (VI) for its interest in water treatment. The obtained phase was characterized by UV spectrophotometer by measuring the optical density at a wavelength of 507 nm.

Menil, F. (1985) Systematic Trends of the 57Fe Mossbauer Isomer Shifts in (FeOn) and (FeFn) Polyhedra. Evidence of a New Correlation between the Isomer Shift and the Inductive Effect of the Competing Bond T-X (→Fe) (Where X Is O or F and T Any Element with a Formal Positive Charge. Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 46, 763-789.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0022-3697(85)90001-0

Jiang, J.Q. and Lioyd, B. (2002) Progress in the Development and Use of Ferrate VI Salt as an Oxidant and Coagulant for Water and Wastewater Treatment. Water Research, 36, 1397-1408.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0043-1354(01)00358-X eww150113lx

The paracetamol has more antioxidant properties than the salicylic acid on the several oxidative stress-forced models and one possible mechanism is due to electron or hydrogen transfer by the evaluated hydroxyl radicals. The antioxidant mechanism for the compounds studied here was performed by molecular modeling using quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP level of theory. Our results show that the paracetamol has more antioxidant properties than the salicylic acid in experimental and theoretical studies. The theoretical mechanism show that the hydrogen transfer is more favorable than the electron transfer. From the study it was concluded that the electron abstraction for paracetamol is more favored than salicylic acid.

Higgs, G.A., Salmon, J.A., Henderson, B. and Vane, J.R. (1987) Pharmacokinetics of Aspirin and Salicylate in Relation to Inhibition of Arachidonate Cyclooxygenase and Antiinflammatory Activity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 84, 1417-1420.http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.84.5.1417

Objective: While substituted phenols have a variety of pharmacological activity, the mechanism underlying their anesthetic effects remains uncertain especially about the critical target. We characterized the lipid membrane-interacting properties of different phenols by comparing with general anesthetic propofol and local anesthetics. Based on the results, we also studied the pharmacological effects possibly associated with their membrane interactivities. Methods: 1,6-Diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene-labeled lipid bilayer membranes were prepared with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine as model membranes and with different phospholipids and cholesterol to mimic neuronal membranes. These membrane preparations were treated with phenols and anesthetics at 1 – 200 μM, followed by measuring the fluorescence polarization to determine the membrane interactivities to change membrane fluidity. Antioxidant effects were fluorometrically determined using diphenyl-1-pyrenylphosphine-incorporated liposomes which were treated with 10 – 100 μM phenols, and then peroxidized with 10 μM peroxynitrite. Results: Several phenols interacted with the model membranes and the neuronal mimetic membranes to increase their fluidity at 1 – 10 μM as well as lidocaine and bupivacaine did at 50 – 200 μM. Their comparative potencies were propofol > thymol > isothymol > guaiacol > phenol > eugenol, and bupivacaine > lidocaine, consistent with the rank order of neuro-activity. These phenols inhibited membrane lipid peroxidation at 10 and 100 μM with the potencies correlating to their membrane interactivities. Conclusion: The structure-specific membrane interaction is at least in part responsible for the pharmacology of anesthetic alkylphenols. Membrane-interacting antioxidant alkylphenols may be protective against the peroxynitrite-relating ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Chitosan nanocapsules containing naproxen as an active ingredient were synthesized by ionic gelation method in presence of polyanion tripolyphosphate as a crosslinker. The morphology and diameter of the prepared chitosan nanoparticles was characterized using scanning electron microscopy and transition electron microscopy. Different factors affecting on the size diameter of chitosan nanoparticles such as stirring time and temperature, pH values as well as chitosan concentration were studied. Different factors affecting on the immobilization of naproxen into chitosan nanoparticles such as time, temperature and pH values were optimized. Synthesized naproxen/chitosan nanocapsules were assessed against both Gram positive bacterial strain such as Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus and Gram negative bacterial strain such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Also, the antifungal activity of the naproxen/chitosan nanocapsules against Saccharomyces cerevisiae was demonstrated. Super oxide dismutase like activity of naproxen/chitosan nanocapsules will be determined.

This study was carried out to investigate the therapeutic role of the ethanolic extract of Pleurotus cornucopiae on sodium arsenite induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Sodium arsenite at the dose of 8 mg•kg–1 body weight orally caused renal damage in rats as manifested by the significant rise in serum levels of serum urea, uric acid and creatinine level compared with control. Ethanolic extracts of P. cornucopiae (400 mg•kg–1 body weight per day) was administered orally for 30 days to sodium arsenite pre-treated rats. The results show significant decrease in the serum urea, uric acid and creatinine levels in comparison to the arsenic treated denotes the nephroprotective effect of P. cornucopiae against sodium arsenite induced toxicity. Furthermore, it also possesses antioxidant effect as lipid peroxidation (MDA) levels decreased in P. cornucopiae treated group in comparison to arsenic treated group. Thus, the present study reveals that P. cornucopiae possesses nephroprotective as well as antioxidant property against arsenic induced toxicity.

Dioka, C.E., Orisakwe, O.E., Adeniyi, F.A. and Meludu, S.C. (2004) Liver and Renal Function Tests in Artisans Occupationally Exposed to Lead in Mechanic Village in Nnewi, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 1, 21-25.http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph2004010021

Ames, B.N., Cathcart, R., Schwiers, E. and Hochst, P. (1981) Uric Acid Provides an Antioxidant Defence against and Radical Caused Aging and Cancer: A Hypothesis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 78, 6858-6862.http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.78.11.6858